Northbrook criticized for giving police officers their old guns

Some are melted down or used for training. One department dumped them ceremoniously into the ocean, but many return them to gun dealers who resell them to the public.

So Northbrook officials thought it was a better idea to give the village's 70 police officers their old Beretta semi-automatics for personal use after replacing them with a newer model.

Instead, officials have been surprised by a firestorm of controversy.

"There is some strange notion that handguns are safer in the hands of police officers than anyone," said Northbrook activist Lee Goodman, noting the high stress levels associated with the job. "The question becomes, what happens to all these guns while these officers are on duty? Are they just sitting around? We would like to think they are locked up."

At least 20 people have contacted Village Board members to oppose the plan, with a good number coming from outside Northbrook, trustees said.

One critic, Carmen Corbett, of Wilmette, raised the specter of the Fort Hood massacre, where an Army psychiatrist accused of killing 13 people is believed to have used his personal weapons.

"There are just too many guns proliferating throughout the cities and suburbs," she said.

Northbrook officials, who on Oct. 27 approved an ordinance allowing the gun give-back without discussion, say they will take a wait-and-see stance on whether to reconsider their decision. They expect that residents will raise the issue during the board meeting Tuesday. Meanwhile, police already have received their new guns; the older models remain locked up awaiting formal transfer, officials said.

"The decision should not be whether people should have guns or not," Village President Sandra Frum said. "It is legal to own guns in our country. The question is whether this is something we (as village officials) should do."

Purchased in 1992, the Berettas are worth less than $100 apiece and carry a serial number whose last three digits match the badge number of the police officer who carried it, Northbrook police Chief Charles Wernick said.

"We certainly could have traded them in to a dealer who would put them back on the street," said Wernick, adding that guns no longer functional will be destroyed. "We have given the officers the opportunity to keep them."

When officers retire, they often are allowed to buy the gun they were issued during service, according to several police departments. Illinois State Police gives retiring officers that choice, as long as they leave the department in good standing, said Master Sgt. Tammie Byers.

Nationally, police departments use a variety of ways to dispose of old weapons. In Sarasota, Fla., officials dumped the guns into the Gulf of Mexico as an annual public relations blitz until 2007, when the Environmental Protection Agency threatened to fine the department, according to a news article.

Giving or selling officers their former service guns for personal use "is not unusual," said Richard Pearson, executive director of the Illinois State Rifle Association, which supports allowing residents to carry concealed weapons.

"It's a great idea," he said. "It is important to have armed individuals -- policemen on or off duty -- because it reduces crime. Policemen are already sworn in and they are already trained."

Weapons disposal is not an issue in some municipalities, including Oak Park and Aurora, where officers are required to buy their own guns. The departments mandate that the guns meet specific requirements and safety features, but otherwise remain the officer's personal property.

"These are men and women who carry a gun 24 hours a day already, and most people don't know it," said Aurora police Lt. Bill Hull.

According to the Northbrook ordinance, officers who keep their guns will be required to sign an agreement releasing the village from any potential claims. They are not allowed to sell or give the gun to anyone else for three years, the agreement states.

"I believe in strict gun regulation but I also have full confidence in our force," village trustee Michael Scolaro said.